1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to novel glucoside derivatives, and more particularly to alkoxylated alkyl glucosides having quaternary nitrogen-containing ether substituents and to their use in personal care compositions and processes.
2. Description of Background Information
Cationics, i.e. cationic compounds such as quaternary nitrogen-containing compounds, are useful in personal care such as in conditioning hair and skin. Skin and hair adsorb cationics due to the attraction of the positive charge on the cationic with the negatively charged skin or hair surface. Cationics can penetrate wet hair and interact with structural bonds within each hair fiber. Cationics can provide lubricity to the hair which can reduce tangling during wet and dry combing. Cationics can improve the texture and softness of dry hair. Cationics can neutralize the apparent anionic charge of the hair and, therefore, eliminate static flyaway effect. Cationics provide such properties to hair based on their substantivity to the hair.
While providing such advantageous personal care utilities, cationics, however, are often toxic and irritating to the eye and skin, depending upon the particular cationic structure and concentrations. When used in higher concentrations, cationics have been known to desensitize eyes to dangerous irritation and occasionally produce corneal opacity and blindness. The utility of cationics is therefore limited by their irritation potential.
Certain glucoside derivatives, such as alkoxylated alkyl glucosides, possess mildness and low toxicity and can reduce the irritancy of cosmetic formulations. See, for example, an article by P. Alexander entitled "Glucose Derivatives in Cosmetics" in Manufacturing Chemist, Sep. 1988, page 61. Cationic, alkoxylated alkyl glucosides having quaternary nitrogen-containing ester substituents combine the functionality of cationics in personal care with low toxicity and mildness associated with alkoxylated alkyl glucosides. See, for example, a preprint by S. B. Polovsky et al., entitled "Alkoxylated Methyl Glucoside Quaternaries: A Series of New Raw Materials for Conditioning Shampoos", for the XIVth I.F.S.C.C. Congress, Barcelona, Spain, 1986, Volume 1, pages 335-369. Such compounds, however, exhibit instability limiting their utility such as in personal care applications.
Other nitrogen-containing saccharide compounds have been developed. Hydroxyalkylamino and quaternary nitrogen-containing ethers of glycosides useful in cosmetic applications are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,148 (Langdon). Ethereal monosubstitutions of monosaccharide derivatives useful in therapeutic compositions are described in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 30,379 (Gordon). Quaternary ammonium alkoxide alkoxy polyol compounds, including alkoxylated alkyl glucosides, useful as epoxy resin flexibilizers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,261 (Johnson).
It would be desirable if a class of compounds existed which combines the utility of cationics along with mildness and low irritancy and stability, particularly in personal care applications.